A different discussion on soil ph

[Fatmat19]

Hey all, I know the topic of ph has been brought up hundreds of times here, I have yet to come across anything useful.

My soil has been testing at 7-7.5, I am planning on using sulfur to bring my tap water ph to 6. Of course in a perfect grow I would have mixed sulfur in with the soil before planting to get the right ph, as it stands I winged it and assumed I added enough peat to bring it in a acceptable range.

So here is what I’d really like to discuss, adding sulfur to bring the ph of water down should create a new buffer to your soil at a certain point. If you were to ph your water with sulfur for the whole grow at some point your soil would become too acidic.

Has anyone experienced this?
Thoughts?

 

[Kingrow1]

Buy different soil then, mine says 5.5-6.5ph on the back, how hard do you want to make soil growing ffs....

No watering sulfur into soil to ph is not even advised in the real world of gardening.

If you tested your soil it is most likely wrong, lab analysis is the only method unless you happen to have a lab, slurry tests are never accurate

 

[xtsho]

Hey all, I know the topic of ph has been brought up hundreds of times here, I have yet to come across anything useful.

My soil has been testing at 7-7.5, I am planning on using sulfur to bring my tap water ph to 6. Of course in a perfect grow I would have mixed sulfur in with the soil before planting to get the right ph, as it stands I winged it and assumed I added enough peat to bring it in a acceptable range.

So here is what I’d really like to discuss, adding sulfur to bring the ph of water down should create a new buffer to your soil at a certain point. If you were to ph your water with sulfur for the whole grow at some point your soil would become too acidic.

Has anyone experienced this?
Thoughts?

How do your plants look? If you're testing runoff pH you are not getting an accurate measurement. If your plants look fine then keep growing. Testing pH is only really required for hydroponics or coco. Any decent soil has buffers to keep the pH in check. I've noticed over the last few years a big trend with newer growers using soil to check the runoff pH. All they do is end up chasing runoff pH for no reason. In fact many of the solutions they use to get their runoff pH to what they think it should be is detrimental to the plant.

Buy different soil then, mine says 5.5-6.5ph on the back, how hard do you want to make soil growing ffs....

No watering sulfur into soil to ph is not even advised in the real world of gardening.

If you tested your soil it is most likely wrong, lab analysis is the only method unless you happen to have a lab, slurry tests are never accurate

Slurry tests are not 100% accurate but a better way to test than from runoff which is what many people do. But testing the pH in a small container of soil is always going to be highly inaccurate. Even with a slurry test those are really only good for outdoor gardening over larger areas where you can take multiple and get an average. I use sulfer in the garden. But just for the blueberries. They like a pH between 4 and 5.

 

[hotrodharley]

http://thcextreme.com/resources/sulfur/

Wondering how you decided to use sulfur to adjust pH?

 

[Kingrow1]

It is very easy for the slurry test to be off by enough that his soil could be 6-6.5 and not needing correcting.

Ive noticed zero new growers understand soil and have read enough ph soil runoff test rubbish that thats the first thing they want to do or blame. Then comes calmag, benies before they explain that jarring wet bud is the only way.

Adhd much newbies?

How do your plants look? If you're testing runoff pH you are not getting an accurate measurement. If your plants look fine then keep growing. Testing pH is only really required for hydroponics or coco. Any decent soil has buffers to keep the pH in check. I've noticed over the last few years a big trend with newer growers using soil to check the runoff pH. All they do is end up chasing runoff pH for no reason. In fact many of the solutions they use to get their runoff pH to what they think it should be is detrimental to the plant.








Slurry tests are not 100% accurate but a better way to test than from runoff which is what many people do. But testing the pH in a small container of soil is always going to be highly inaccurate. Even with a slurry test those are really only good for outdoor gardening over larger areas where you can take multiple and get an average. I use sulfer in the garden. But just for the blueberries. They like a pH between 4 and 5.

 

[xtsho]

It is very easy for the slurry test to be off by enough that his soil could be 6-6.5 and not needing correcting.

Ive noticed zero new growers understand soil and have read enough ph soil runoff test rubbish that thats the first thing they want to do or blame. Then comes calmag, benies before they explain that jarring wet bud is the only way.

Adhd much newbies?

You forgot silica.

 

[Fatmat19]

Ok... well my soils first Ingredient is coco followed by compost then perlite. To that mix I added peat and vermiculite.

I haven’t had any ph problems and I don’t doubt I’m not getting 100% accurate reading with a slurry set out for 24 hours then checked with strips, but I have to imagine it’s still above 7.

It doesn’t seem like there are any good ways to lower soil ph after planting, and you can ph your water to whatever you want but after 12-24 hours it’s going to be the same as your soil.

I’ve read many articles on adjusting ph and the best option seemed to be sulfur since I thought that would create a more permanent buffer to the soil.

After reading 100 posts/articles on ph it became clear the only information out there is add ph up or down or lemon/vinegar to ph the water which is only going to buffer back to what the soil is.

I’m not looking to blame my ph on problems I’m not having, I am trying to get my soil in a closer range since I can’t afford a lab and $20 soil wasn’t in my budget.

 

[xtsho]

So you're growing in a coco based soil mix. What's in the compost? Is it wood products, manure, etc... All of that makes a difference with what's going on. I'd just water pH'd to 6.3 -6.5 and call it good. Phosphoric acid would be my choice for a pH down product.

But how do your plants look? If they look good then nothing is wrong.

 

[Kingrow1]

Ok... well my soils first Ingredient is coco followed by compost then perlite. To that mix I added peat and vermiculite.

I haven’t had any ph problems and I don’t doubt I’m not getting 100% accurate reading with a slurry set out for 24 hours then checked with strips, but I have to imagine it’s still above 7.

It doesn’t seem like there are any good ways to lower soil ph after planting, and you can ph your water to whatever you want but after 12-24 hours it’s going to be the same as your soil.

I’ve read many articles on adjusting ph and the best option seemed to be sulfur since I thought that would create a more permanent buffer to the soil.

After reading 100 posts/articles on ph it became clear the only information out there is add ph up or down or lemon/vinegar to ph the water which is only going to buffer back to what the soil is.

I’m not looking to blame my ph on problems I’m not having, I am trying to get my soil in a closer range since I can’t afford a lab and $20 soil wasn’t in my budget.

There is an ag product for quick ph called 'calcium milk' or somthing like that but even the makers list it as not advisable and only really in large scale farm op energencies like you need to plant now but theclab says your ph is still off from the lime you tilled into the soil pre winter on a five to ten year repeat application.

Mainly your overcomplicating things and with enough coco perlite and verm. that aint soil its some weird mix that i dont see sold or promoted anywhere where a normal soil product straight out of the bag will do just fine.

Its like you dont like soil and seek to change an ag product with little knowledge upfront.

I dont know what to say, have a think of somthing easier that dosent have you making changes and amendments

 

[Fatmat19]

So you're growing in a coco based soil mix. What's in the compost? Is it wood products, manure, etc... All of that makes a difference with what's going on. I'd just water pH'd to 6.3 -6.5 and call it good. Phosphoric acid would be my choice for a pH down product.

But how do your plants look? If they look good then nothing is wrong.

Here is what I’m using, the coco based bag is twice the size of the seed starting peat so it’s 2:1 ratio in my pot. She is doing good considering I starved her a bit and this was a day after transplant, I never suspected I had a ph problem But I do think it’s a little higher than I’d like.


The pic kind of sucks the top leaves are light green how they should be they look brown from a few 2700k bulbs, the single blades on the bottom are yellowing from lack of nitrogen.

 

[Kingrow1]

Here is what I’m using, the coco based bag is twice the size of the seed starting peat so it’s 2:1 ratio in my pot. She is doing good considering I starved her a bit and this was a day after transplant, I never suspected I had a ph problem But I do think it’s a little higher than I’d like.
View attachment 4280573 View attachment 4280574 View attachment 4280575

The pic kind of sucks the top leaves are light green how they should be they look brown from a few 2700k bulbs, the single blades on the bottom are yellowing from lack of nitrogen.

Plant more seeds get more lights just start with potting soil or a canna soil from a shop.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Your in basically a soilless medium by the sounds, with soil added.
If its your first grow then I would suggest going to a full soilless medium like Canna terra professional if you want to play with PH. Soil really does swing and buffer and I've never needed to PH, chasing ph in soil doesn't sound like fun.
I'm currently switching from my own basic soil mix that ive been recycling to Canna terra pro. So ive had to start Phing.

Not the best pics but remember new growth is a lighter green.

 

[Midnight Warrior]

Personally I would transplant it into a better medium that plant looks very sick and you could lose it.

 

[Fatmat19]

Your in basically a soilless medium by the sounds, with soil added.
If its your first grow then I would suggest going to a full soilless medium like Canna terra professional if you want to play with PH. Soil really does swing and buffer and I've never needed to PH, chasing ph in soil doesn't sound like fun.
I'm currently switching from my own basic soil mix that ive been recycling to Canna terra pro. So ive had to start Phing.

Not the best pics but remember new growth is a lighter green.

Thank you for the sound advice, I’ve always used a soil peat mix similar but without the coco. Thought I would try it since it’s more fluffy than soil.

I am growing under entirely different conditions than I’m used to, without filling out the page with a long story I had to make a stealth grow in my shed outside and had problems with temp and humidity so there was stress from that, and she was starved of nitrogen then transplanted into a fabric pot.

I added a little more peat when I transplanted and the compost in the mix is supposed to drop ph slowly so it should be pretty stable.

 

[Kingrow1]

Hydrogen peroxide is the same as store bought pH down practically and works great in my experiences

Bad choice for soil, dont know about coco on that one

 

[WeedFreak78]

You're growing in a, poorly, amended soilless mix if it's just coco, perlite and compost. I'd put my money on your starving that plant, it looks like it needs more N. What ratios are they mixed in? What are you feeding with